POLITICS

Tampa, Charlotte Can Ban Water Guns but Not Actual Guns at the Conventions

By Alexander Abad-Santos, The Atlantic Wire

Bummer. You won't be able to bring a "super-soaker" water gun to the Democratic and Republican National Conventions this year, but, hey, that concealed 9mm pistol in your jacket is totally fine in the two states hosting the conventions. Both North Carolina and Florida allow people to carry concealed guns, the Associated Press reports. (They both also have "Stand Your Ground" laws.) RNC and DNC officials are worried about the possibility of protesters in Tampa and Charlotte getting rowdy, so they've proposed things like a "clean zone" protest area (which kind of sounds like Coachella--stages, portable bathrooms, microphones) and have been trying to use the $50 million in federal aid to beef up security. But they can't do a thing about guns.

"Tampa city leaders have already proposed a host of banned items (lumber, hatchets, gas masks, chains, and super-soaker water cannons) , but they are prevented from outlawing concealed guns," AP writes. Though, you could argue that many items on that list aren't very concealment-friendly. And, yea, we have to wonder about how much good banning this gaudy-made-to-not-look-like-a-real-gun "super soaker" will do.